NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS & APPOINTMENTS
Fifth Third Bank has hired Leah Taylor as vice president, business banking relationship manager.
Betsy Johns has been promoted to senior vice president, senior trust compliance officer at Central Bank & Trust Co. Sam Collins joined the bank as commercial lending officer, and Andrew Foster has been hired as mortgage lending officer.
Attorneys Katie Bouvier and Emily Puckett have joined the law firm of Minner Vines Injury Lawyers.
Marcia (Marci) Sullivan, has joined Midway University’s senior leadership team as vice president of marketing and communications.
Designer Ellie Thornsbury recently joined Lexington creative agency Mediocre.
Patricia M. Breeze, CLU, CFP has joined Meridian Wealth Management, LLC as a senior wealth management advisor.
Sheila Devine Griffeth has joined Source Technologies, LLC as vice president of administration.
CommonSpirit Health has welcomed Matthew Eads, MD, to its Orthopedic Surgery practice in Lexington.
Alex Orange, PA-C, has joined CommonSpirit Medical Group – Orthopedic Surgery – East Lexington.
Chasity Pendleton, APRN, has joined CommonSpirit Medical Group – Primary Care – Beaumont in Lexington.
Sam Mardini, MD, has joined CommonSpirit Medical Group – Gastroenterology – Harrodsburg Road in Lexington.
Hesham Afify, MD, has joined CommonSpirit Medical Group – Cardiology in Lexington.
Eric Del Valle has been named business development lead for Kentucky American Water.
Asbury University has appointed professor Robin Lim as Dean of the Dayton School of Business.
KUDOS
Leadership Lexington recently selected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Gentry C. Collins as a member of the 2026-27 Leadership Lexington program.
Andi Johnson, chief policy officer and director of regional engagement for Commerce Lexington, recently earned the Certified Chamber Executive designation from the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. Johnson is one of 19 chamber professionals from across 12 states, to earn the Certified Chamber Executive designation this year.
Commonwealth Credit Union President/CEO Karen Harbin has been honored with the Wendell Lyons Advocacy in Action Award, presented at Kentucky’s Credit Unions VISION 2026 Annual Meeting & Convention.
The Kentucky Historical Society recently elected the following new board members: Bryan Fuller, Mel Hankla, Judge Larry VanMeter, and Barbara Sexton Smith.
Awesome Inc has announced its 2026 Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame class. This year’s class includes: John Neace, Neace Lukens and Neace Ventures; Ervin Houchens, Houchens Industries; Roger Griggs, Richwood Pharmaceuticals and Griggs Holdings; and Purna Veer, V-Soft Consulting.
Republic Bank & Trust Company has been recognized by American Banker as one of its Top-Performing Banks with $2 billion to $10 billion in assets.
The Saint Joseph-affiliated hospitals in Lexington will now have CommonSpirit as part of their names. CommonSpirit – Saint Joseph Hospital – Lexington on Harrodsburg Road was established nearly 150 years ago and, along with CommonSpirit – Saint Joseph Medical Center – East Lexington on Eagle Creek and CommonSpirit – Continuing Care Hospital at both locations, have been a part of CommonSpirit since 2019. In addition, physician offices and clinics will adopt the name, CommonSpirit Medical Group.
Four CommonSpirit Health hospitals in Kentucky have been included in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-2027 Best Hospitals rankings as a high performing hospital, with CommonSpirit – Saint Joseph Hospital – Lexington being named one of the best hospitals overall in Kentucky. Three other CommonSpirit Health hospitals in Kentucky were recognized as High Performing, including CommonSpirit – Saint Joseph Medical Center – East Lexington for acute kidney failure and pneumonia; CommonSpirit – Saint Joseph Hospital – London for acute kidney failure, COPD, diabetes, hip fracture and pneumonia; and CommonSpirit – Saint Joseph Hospital – Mount Sterling for COPD and pneumonia. This is the highest distinction a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals Procedures & Conditions ratings.
CommonSpirit - Saint Joseph Hospital - Lexington has been recognized with the 2026 Chest Pain - MI Registry® Silver Achievement Award by the American College of Cardiology.
CommonSpirit - Saint Joseph Medical Center - East Lexington recently achieved accreditation from the Surgical Review Corporation as a Center of Excellence in Complex Endometriosis Care.
CommonSpirit - Saint Joseph Medical Center - East Lexington recently achieved accreditation from the Surgical Review Corporation as a Center of Excellence in Complex Endometriosis Care.